The Culture of Shallowness

[Valmore]

I'm really disheartened by the continued trend of shallowness in our society.

Case in point - the latest McDonald's commerical for it's Snack Wrap. A couple of ladies from the office come in and one has bought new shoes for her date with a co-worker - an average-looking white guy with a slightly bad haircut and might be slightly dorky because he catches the kiss she blows him and puts it in his shirt pocket with a smile. As the two women are discussing the new shoes, a nice-looking black guy says, "Someone missed snack time." Cue the McDonald's Snack Wraps... and now the woman (while eating a snack wrap) who accepted the date from the white guy is saying, "What was I thinking?"

The thing is, no, the white guy isn't Brad Pitt or some dreamboat, but he's not ugly, either. And the only clue we get that he's a "bad date" is he does a slightly dorky thing. None of this equates to, "What was I thinking?" Especially since the woman in question is rather ordinary-looking herself.

What does this say about the thought-patterns of whatever think-tank invented this commercial? That we're this shallow? Are we really this shallow?

(By the way, I tried the Snack Wrap before seeing this commercial - it's fairly tasty.)

[Gumbo Maximillian]

He was kind of nerdy but I get what your saying and yeah, we've always been this shallow or at least as long as I've been alive which is at least since the eighties.

Though you do make an interesting point; she was like what in her thirties, still single or once again single, working a crappy job and a little over weight and was basically average in appearance, why would she consider herself that much better than him inregards to dating?

I could understand it if it was some model looking person like commercials usually do but she wasn't especially attractive.

[K'Nort]

Not having tv helps a lot.

And I mean that quite seriously.

[jaguarshark]

Not having tv helps a lot.

And I mean that quite seriously.
I could handle not having a TV, were it not for the fact I'd have nothing to watch DVDs on. Other than that, there's nothing too valuable on television, IMO.

I agree with you to a point, Valmore, about the shallowness of our society, but aren't we being equally shallow by basically saying, "yeah, and the woman wasn't anything special anyway!"

[Gumbo Maximillian]

I could handle not having a TV, were it not for the fact I'd have nothing to watch DVDs on. Other than that, there's nothing too valuable on television, IMO.

I agree with you to a point, Valmore, about the shallowness of our society, but aren't we being equally shallow by basically saying, "yeah, and the woman wasn't anything special anyway!"

Not really; going by the commercial she didn't have anything to offer in personality or intelligence (or no indication anyways) her job wasn't anything special, she was still single in her thirties and was out of shape and of average appearance.

What we know of her personality is, she likes to shop for clothes, can be easily convinced to sway her opinions on things (like the worthiness of individuals to date) and if she goes without food for a short period of time is very open to suggestion.

All we have to go on are looks and her job really and well "she wasn't anything special anyway!" was accurate.

The guy in question had the same job, was presumably single, out of shape, in his thirties, of average appearance and a nerd.

[jaguarshark]

Not really; going by the commercial she didn't have anything to offer in personality or intelligence (or no indication anyways) her job wasn't anything special, she was still single in her thirties and was out of shape and of average appearance.

What we know of her personality is, she likes to shop for clothes, can be easily convinced to sway her opinions on things (like the worthiness of individuals to date) and if she goes without food for a short period of time is very open to suggestion.

All we have to go on are looks and her job really and well "she wasn't anything special anyway!" was accurate.

The guy in question had the same job, was presumably single, out of shape, in his thirties, of average appearance and a nerd.
Yeah, but we get all of this out of a quick commercial, apparently. I haven't seen the commercial, so I don't know for sure, but it still seems like a reasonably quick rush to judgement, considering we can see that the way the 'geeky guy' is depicted is shallow.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

I always thought she was talking about the sandwich when she did the " What was I thinking ?" line. That tells you how much attention I pay to the ads . :p

[Gumbo Maximillian]

Yeah, but we get all of this out of a quick commercial, apparently. I haven't seen the commercial, so I don't know for sure, but it still seems like a reasonably quick rush to judgement, considering we can see that the way the 'geeky guy' is depicted is shallow.

Not really; unless it was implied somewhere that he's freakier in someway than as has been shown.

Than the reaction as shown is somewhat interesting, never thought about it until Valmore brought it up but she's not out of that guys league.

I mean economically they were the same, appearance-wise they were the same, age-wise the same also, both were out of shape, both single and no indication of children (either for or against).

Admitably he was somewhat geeky but all things considered he wasn't out of her league.

Now if say some rich person had been portrayed, or a creative/artistic person or a good looking person, then yeah I could see it but we are talking about a middle aged, average looking, out of shape, single middle class woman in a crappy job.

Of course; just because your average doesn't mean you want to go out with average people, or just because your a freak doesn't mean you want to go out with freaks.

You may love tattoos and piercings but that doesn't mean you want to date people who have those, maybe you go for Sheriff Andy Griffith.

[howyadoin]

A couple of ladies from the office come in and one has bought new shoes for her date with a co-worker - an average-looking white guy with a slightly bad haircut and might be slightly dorky because he catches the kiss she blows him and puts it in his shirt pocket with a smile. As the two women are discussing the new shoes, a nice-looking black guy says, "Someone missed snack time." Cue the McDonald's Snack Wraps... and now the woman (while eating a snack wrap) who accepted the date from the white guy is saying, "What was I thinking?"Maybe she was thinking, "once you go black..."

[Haunt]

Not really; going by the commercial she didn't have anything to offer in personality or intelligence (or no indication anyways) her job wasn't anything special, she was still single in her thirties and was out of shape and of average appearance.

What we know of her personality is, she likes to shop for clothes, can be easily convinced to sway her opinions on things (like the worthiness of individuals to date) and if she goes without food for a short period of time is very open to suggestion.

All we have to go on are looks and her job really and well "she wasn't anything special anyway!" was accurate.

The guy in question had the same job, was presumably single, out of shape, in his thirties, of average appearance and a nerd.

nature is shallow. humans are designed to find suitable mates to breed with. and that's the end of it. we're just out to continue the species. so unromantic. and, yeah, american culture has even managed to magnify that shallowness.

Maybe she was thinking, "once you go black..."

..you'll never be without snack wraps?"

[howyadoin]

..you'll never be without snack wraps?"Holy crap, imagine that ad campaign...

[Gumbo Maximillian]

nature is shallow. humans are designed to find suitable mates to breed with. and that's the end of it. we're just out to continue the species. so unromantic. and, yeah, american culture has even managed to magnify that shallowness.



..you'll never be without snack wraps?"


Well; yeah I know that humans are shallow that was actually part of my first post.

Its just that the guy was a suitable mate all things considered, he wasn't Brad Pitt and she wasn't Jennifer Anniston but neither were side show freaks or anything of that nature.

I mean on a scale of 1-10 they would both count as 5's.

But she was shallow and as I mentioned earlier just because you are something doesn't mean you want to go out with that (especially if your looking to step up a level).

[gary bolt]

Not having tv helps a lot.

And I mean that quite seriously.

I agree, I agree. I canceled cable 3 or 4 years ago and don't miss tv at all.

[Jack Zodiac]

Television isn't the problem, it's advertisers. Tivo should come with some program that replaces the shitty commercials of today with the hilarious commercials of yesteryear. I want to be reminded of the awesomeness of Kool-Aid flavored drink mix. I want to watch the 7UP dot dancing around some giant bubbles. I want to be reminded to avoid The Noid! I don't wanna' see some jackass cover himself in cheap spray on deodorant until the point of choking and then allude to how many MILFs and foreign exchange students he fucks. I don't wanna' have to listen to another goddamn GAP commercial jingle.

[Valmore]

http://www.holycola.net/archives/koolaidsmash.jpg

OH YEAH!

[Valmore]

In a perfect world the highest CEO would date a lowly janitor. However, it doesn't quite work that way.

So, we have to base everything on how life sadly works. In the case of this commercial, the woman in question ends up having way too high an opinion of herself as compared to the guy she agreed to date. She's average-looking, just like him. They work at the same place. There's no real difference in class status, looks, financials, etc. So really - why should she get to say, "What was I thinking?" about acccepting a date from him? She's not a supermodel. She's not insanely wealthy. She's an average Jane. Much like he's an average Joe.

Of course, in a perfect world, it wouldn't matter.

[Jack Zodiac]

http://www.sitefights.com/community/spirit/jackzodiac//kool.jpg

OH YEAH!?

OOOOOOOH YEEEEEAAAAAAH!!! (http://www.retrojunk.com/details_commercial/409/)

[Valmore]

Kool-Aid Man doesn't even need oxygen!

http://www.georgehernandez.com/h/aaBlog/2005/media/04-07_KoolAidMan.jpg

[Sir Tim Drake]

What I really hate is that Macintosh ad campaign, where the Mac is a cool guy and the PC is a nerd. That Mac guy is a real jerk-- exactly the type of person I can't stand in real life. He's smug, overconfident and superior. He mocks the PC guy in such a way as to show his utter contempt for him, and the commercial never condemns him for doing this.

Meanwhile, the PC guy is subjected to all this mockery without being given a chance to defend himself-- simply because he looks intelligent and professional.

I don't know if this is an example of the culture of shallowness, but I think it may well be.

[Jack Zodiac]

I don't know if this is an example of the culture of shallowness, but I think it may well be.

Yep. What they don't tell you, but what could be gathered from their demeanors, is that the Mac doesn't have a job and is, for the most part, a worthless piece of shit, while the more respectable PC is a hard worker who will get more out of life than his counterpart.

[Valmore]

Works for me. I especially hate how they try to make the claim that Mac's never need rebooting and don't crash, because seriously, every Mac I've worked with has crashed and needed to be rebooted.

[Jack Zodiac]

Yeah. Pretty much every Mac I've ever used was a junker compared to a well-made PC.

[howyadoin]

Yeah. Pretty much every Mac I've ever used was a junker compared to a well-made PC.Dream big. I'm sure all those PCs performed flawlessly.

[Charles RB]

What I really hate is that Macintosh ad campaign, where the Mac is a cool guy and the PC is a nerd. That Mac guy is a real jerk-- exactly the type of person I can't stand in real life. He's smug, overconfident and superior.

Are you sure it's not a Microsoft ad campaign designed to undermine the competition?

[Valmore]

Dream big. I'm sure all those PCs performed flawlessly.

I've never used a single computer - Mac or Winbox - that performed flawlessly. They've all crashed and stuff to varying degrees.

[Cei-U!]

I don't wanna' see some jackass cover himself in cheap spray on deodorant until the point of choking and then allude to how many MILFs and foreign exchange students he fucks.

It was a stupid commercial back in the Sixties too (when the product being pitched was Hai Karate aftershave).

Cei-U!
I summon the deja vu!

[Captain_Video]

I'm really disheartened by the continued trend of shallowness in our society.

Case in point - the latest McDonald's commerical for it's Snack Wrap. A couple of ladies from the office come in and one has bought new shoes for her date with a co-worker - an average-looking white guy with a slightly bad haircut and might be slightly dorky because he catches the kiss she blows him and puts it in his shirt pocket with a smile. As the two women are discussing the new shoes, a nice-looking black guy says, "Someone missed snack time." Cue the McDonald's Snack Wraps... and now the woman (while eating a snack wrap) who accepted the date from the white guy is saying, "What was I thinking?"

The thing is, no, the white guy isn't Brad Pitt or some dreamboat, but he's not ugly, either. And the only clue we get that he's a "bad date" is he does a slightly dorky thing. None of this equates to, "What was I thinking?" Especially since the woman in question is rather ordinary-looking herself.

What does this say about the thought-patterns of whatever think-tank invented this commercial? That we're this shallow? Are we really this shallow?

(By the way, I tried the Snack Wrap before seeing this commercial - it's fairly tasty.)


The first thing most advertising does it make you feel bad about yourself and then it will tell you the way to feel good about yourself, which is to buy what is missing from your life, in this case Snack Wrap (TM ).

I would say this one works very well, if you are a woman, you will see that all those dorky guys you have dated can just be forgotten if you have a "snack wrap" in your hands, suddenly you can laugh about it.

For a guy, you have been insulted by snidy gossipy sex in the city style women for being just a little dorky, go have a "Snack Wrap"....at least you won't be hungry.

Ignore all advertising for products you don't want, it is there to make you feel fat and sad and lonely, just so they can sell you some cheap tat that you do not need.

( Note I have not seen the ad in question )

[Forefinger]

http://www.sitefights.com/community/spirit/jackzodiac//kool.jpg

OH YEAH!?

OOOOOOOH YEEEEEAAAAAAH!!! (http://www.retrojunk.com/details_commercial/409/)
I don't know what makes me want to eat meat more than the Macho Man!

[K'Nort]

I could handle not having a TV, were it not for the fact I'd have nothing to watch DVDs on. Other than that, there's nothing too valuable on television, IMO.

Good point. I have a television. I don't have cable. And in this area, that means all I get is the Static Channel.


And I have to say that I would probably not date someone who did stupid things with air kisses. Although of course that also means I wouldn't be sending them in the first place.

[Xero Kaiser]

I would say this one works very well, if you are a woman, you will see that all those dorky guys you have dated can just be forgotten if you have a "snack wrap" in your hands, suddenly you can laugh about it.

For a guy, you have been insulted by snidy gossipy sex in the city style women for being just a little dorky, go have a "Snack Wrap"....at least you won't be hungry.


....people actually think like that?

[anthony!]

Television isn't the problem, it's advertisers. Tivo should come with some program that replaces the shitty commercials of today with the hilarious commercials of yesteryear. I want to be reminded of the awesomeness of Kool-Aid flavored drink mix. I want to watch the 7UP dot dancing around some giant bubbles. I want to be reminded to avoid The Noid! I don't wanna' see some jackass cover himself in cheap spray on deodorant until the point of choking and then allude to how many MILFs and foreign exchange students he fucks. I don't wanna' have to listen to another goddamn GAP commercial jingle.


As a guy that works in advertising...those AXE ads are some of the best work out there, IMHO. And the latest Gap suff, while not very substantive (the fashion category rarely is), is certainly very well executed. Some really nice visuals going on in there.

I wouldn't have been interested in advertising if we went back to the days of Kool-Aid and the Noid (funny, I've worked on Domino's. They're a...challenging client to work with.). The idea that a living 10-foot tall pitcher of instant fruit punch bursts through walls and asks children to drink from him is hardly my idea of genuine, honest and intelligent advertising. Its just nonsensical, and I'd hate to have been in on the focus groups for that shit.

[anthony!]

What I really hate is that Macintosh ad campaign, where the Mac is a cool guy and the PC is a nerd. That Mac guy is a real jerk-- exactly the type of person I can't stand in real life. He's smug, overconfident and superior. He mocks the PC guy in such a way as to show his utter contempt for him, and the commercial never condemns him for doing this.

Meanwhile, the PC guy is subjected to all this mockery without being given a chance to defend himself-- simply because he looks intelligent and professional.

I don't know if this is an example of the culture of shallowness, but I think it may well be.

Apple is looking to increase their share in pc sales, so they've taken a "harder sell" tact with their ads. Its not unlike their "Switch" campaign from a few years back. You didn't honestly expect them to compliment their own competition in their own ads, did you?

Incidently, I've been a Mac user for about 5 years now. My first machine was the first tangerine iBook, and now I've got a Power PC dual G5. Only once have I had a major breakdown, and it was on the iBook using OS 9. On OS X I've "crashed" considerably less than I did on my first computer ever - an HP. Even then, crashing on a Mac is less a painful process. Usually an individual program crashes without bringing the entire machine down with it. A simple "Force Quit" of that single program will do the trick. OS X, in my experience, has proven to be exceptionally stable.

[Charles RB]

....people actually think like that?

No, but the ad companies think you do.

[Valmore]

The first thing most advertising does it make you feel bad about yourself and then it will tell you the way to feel good about yourself, which is to buy what is missing from your life, in this case Snack Wrap (TM ).

I would say this one works very well, if you are a woman, you will see that all those dorky guys you have dated can just be forgotten if you have a "snack wrap" in your hands, suddenly you can laugh about it.

For a guy, you have been insulted by snidy gossipy sex in the city style women for being just a little dorky, go have a "Snack Wrap"....at least you won't be hungry.

Ignore all advertising for products you don't want, it is there to make you feel fat and sad and lonely, just so they can sell you some cheap tat that you do not need.

( Note I have not seen the ad in question )

It's a darn good thing I'm married and my wife and I have had a beautiful baby girl together then.

Though you should probably see the ad in question - in superficial terms, the woman in question isn't exactly some drop-dead gorgeous babe. She's an averge-looking female, much as the "dork" is an average-looking male.

[Valmore]

As a guy that works in advertising...those AXE ads are some of the best work out there, IMHO. And the latest Gap suff, while not very substantive (the fashion category rarely is), is certainly very well executed. Some really nice visuals going on in there.

And I'd say the AXE ads are completely stupid and work on the tired premise that using a certain product will bring women to a guy like lightning. I don't care how much of that cheapass AXE crap a guy sprays on himself, no woman is going to run after you from smelling it - especially since it smells pretty lame anyway. I mean, AXE isn't genuine, honest or intelligent with their commercials, and it's not even funny in an absurd way.

I wouldn't have been interested in advertising if we went back to the days of Kool-Aid and the Noid (funny, I've worked on Domino's. They're a...challenging client to work with.). The idea that a living 10-foot tall pitcher of instant fruit punch bursts through walls and asks children to drink from him is hardly my idea of genuine, honest and intelligent advertising. Its just nonsensical, and I'd hate to have been in on the focus groups for that shit.

Kool-Aid Man is AWESOME because he's completely absurd!

[Nikita]

I'm really disheartened by the continued trend of shallowness in our society.

Case in point - the latest McDonald's commerical for it's Snack Wrap. A couple of ladies from the office come in and one has bought new shoes for her date with a co-worker - an average-looking white guy with a slightly bad haircut and might be slightly dorky because he catches the kiss she blows him and puts it in his shirt pocket with a smile. As the two women are discussing the new shoes, a nice-looking black guy says, "Someone missed snack time." Cue the McDonald's Snack Wraps... and now the woman (while eating a snack wrap) who accepted the date from the white guy is saying, "What was I thinking?"

The thing is, no, the white guy isn't Brad Pitt or some dreamboat, but he's not ugly, either. And the only clue we get that he's a "bad date" is he does a slightly dorky thing. None of this equates to, "What was I thinking?" Especially since the woman in question is rather ordinary-looking herself.

What does this say about the thought-patterns of whatever think-tank invented this commercial? That we're this shallow? Are we really this shallow?

(By the way, I tried the Snack Wrap before seeing this commercial - it's fairly tasty.)



It just means that all nerdy white guys are in fact....losers. :D

Actually, I thought the nerdy white guy in that commercial was kind of cute. Nerdy white guys get no respect!...

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f215/Nikita2006/RodneyDangerfield.jpg

[Paul McEnery]

The first thing most advertising does it make you feel bad about yourself and then it will tell you the way to feel good about yourself, which is to buy what is missing from your life, in this case Snack Wrap (TM ).

I would say this one works very well, if you are a woman, you will see that all those dorky guys you have dated can just be forgotten if you have a "snack wrap" in your hands, suddenly you can laugh about it.

For a guy, you have been insulted by snidy gossipy sex in the city style women for being just a little dorky, go have a "Snack Wrap"....at least you won't be hungry.

Ignore all advertising for products you don't want, it is there to make you feel fat and sad and lonely, just so they can sell you some cheap tat that you do not need.

( Note I have not seen the ad in question )
Dittos.

Your bonus for 10 points is the reaffirmation that it's perfectly okay to behave like this; that the slightly hunky black guy is the snack wrap, but your dorky guy is a regular burger, and it's good to change up; and that these are indeed your options.

[Winslow]

Dittos.

Your bonus for 10 points is the reaffirmation that it's perfectly okay to behave like this; that the slightly hunky black guy is the snack wrap, but your dorky guy is a regular burger, and it's good to change up; and that these are indeed your options.

Phoney Bone would be so proud.

[anthony!]

And I'd say the AXE ads are completely stupid and work on the tired premise that using a certain product will bring women to a guy like lightning. I don't care how much of that cheapass AXE crap a guy sprays on himself, no woman is going to run after you from smelling it - especially since it smells pretty lame anyway. I mean, AXE isn't genuine, honest or intelligent with their commercials, and it's not even funny in an absurd way.

Its called hyperbole, and its funny- even though we all know it not to be true in the strictest literal sense. Women like guys who smell good. Guys like girls who like them. Thats all you need to know to take the premise and stretch it to extremes in order to get the message across clearly and in an entertaining way. Ultimately thats the goal of any ad that wants to get attention and not disappear in the mountain of crap thats out there.

No one genuinely thinks you're going to earn tons of sex points based solely on your usage of cheap chemicals. Its just tongue-in-cheek, over the top fun that hyperbolizes the social lives of single dudes, and not meant to be taken seriously. That's why it wins awards (which it has plenty of). It is deodorant sold at Walgreens, after all.

On the opposite end, there's campaigns for CK or Kenneth Cole or Abercrombie products that REALLY DO try to sell you on the idea that you will be a total sex machine if you use their scent. Its not the ads that wink at you that you need to worry about, its the ones that try to get you to take them seriously that should concern you ethically.

Kool-Aid Man is AWESOME because he's completely absurd!

No. The Kool-Aid Man is ridiculous in the "bad" way because he's actually taken seriously in his own "world". The kids in those ads not only accept his presence, but pretty much celebrate it- sucking the absurdity right out of the context. They're as hyperbolic as he is. In fact, they're a bunch of hyperboles running around with a metaphor and its just a big corporate cluster fuck mess of an idea. But those were the old days...hell, those kinds of ads still get on air on occasion.

It would be much funnier and entertaining if the idea had been straight and real.

I'm all for absurdity and stupidity and awesomeness in ads. It keeps me warm at night. But it has to be done the right way, and executed properly. Skittles and Snickers are two examples of recent work that does "absurd" pretty decently.

[Valmore]

If AXE commercials have won awards, there's some seriously stupid people handing out awards. The commercials are stupid - plain and simple. "Hide your girls mom! THAT BOY SPRAYED ON AXE!" Please. All the commercials made me want to do is smack around anyone stupid enough to buy the product.

[anthony!]

If AXE commercials have won awards, there's some seriously stupid people handing out awards. The commercials are stupid - plain and simple. "Hide your girls mom! THAT BOY SPRAYED ON AXE!" Please. All the commercials made me want to do is smack around anyone stupid enough to buy the product.


Ha-ha! Well, I'm sorry to inform you, but that work has been in pretty much every major advertising annual and award show in the last two years or so. Its work that is pretty much coveted by creatives, and I presume marketers as well, because the the campaign keeps growing every year. The recent "GameKillers" campaign I think its pretty brilliant, and very OBVIOUSLY NOT SERIOUS. The entire campaign is very self aware.

It wasn't too long ago that I was a college lad, and I admit- I bought AXE on more than one occassion. I didn't get any "game" out of it, but it was pretty stupid fun to buy a brand that catered to my sensibilities and didn't really apologize for it. At the time. I have moved on. :rolleyes:

Send your smacking to BBH New York and London, the agency responsible.

[howyadoin]

Its called hyperbole, and its funny- even though we all know it not to be true in the strictest literal sense. Women like guys who smell good. Guys like girls who like them. Thats all you need to know to take the premise and stretch it to extremes in order to get the message across clearly and in an entertaining way. Ultimately thats the goal of any ad that wants to get attention and not disappear in the mountain of crap thats out there.Sure it's hyperbole, but judging from the stench coming off Axe users, the practice of using as much cologne as possible is obviously spreading. If the ads are having a genuine detrimental physical effect, that's hardly "responsible" advertising.

(Yes, I'm kind of joking, but it still strikes me funny that you'd point to an ad selling an idea as old and tired as "if you buy our product, women will want to fuck you" as an example of clever advertising.)No one genuinely thinks you're going to earn tons of sex points based solely on your usage of cheap chemicals.Evidently you've never been in a bar.

[bfrank]

I've seen that commercial, and I find it funny that many of you feel that she turned him down based on looks alone.....talk about shallow....

I also find it funny that many of you identify with the geek who catches air kisses and stores them in his pocket....

[anthony!]

(Yes, I'm kind of joking, but it still strikes me funny that you'd point to an ad selling an idea as old and tired as "if you buy our product, women will want to fuck you" as an example of clever advertising.)

Its all been done before, its in how you do it. Even in the AXE campaign. For example...BAD AXE AD: Nick Lachey walking around noticing all these girls turned on by his apparent use of the produce. Not funny. Not interesting. Not responsible. GOOD AXE AD: 30 seconds of women hyperbolically rubbing themselves on everyday objects, only to reveal that the reason is thats its the left over scent from some regular joe's Axe use. Funny. Interesting (nice misdirect)...and ultimately responsible because we can all recognize it as a joke (even if you don't like it) and not bearing any resemblence to reality.



Evidently you've never been in a bar.

Please. I'm Catholic and in advertising. I damn near should be going to AA meetings, and its a miracle I don't do crack.

[howyadoin]

GOOD AXE AD: 30 seconds of women hyperbolically rubbing themselves on everyday objects, only to reveal that the reason is thats its the left over scent from some regular joe's Axe use. Funny. Interesting (nice misdirect)...and ultimately responsible because we can all recognize it as a joke (even if you don't like it) and not bearing any resemblence to reality.See, it's the underlined part that I question. I think there are plenty of idiots out there who take it seriously to some degree, and if there weren't, you and I would be out of work.
Please. I'm Catholic and in advertising. I damn near should be going to AA meetings, and its a miracle I don't do crack.Then surely you must have seen - and smelled - the people who do genuinely think they're going to earn tons of sex points based solely on their usage of cheap chemicals. Hell, I know guys in advertising who apparently think that way.

[anthony!]

See, it's the underlined part that I question. I think there are plenty of idiots out there who take it seriously to some degree, and if there weren't, you and I would be out of work.
Then surely you must have seen - and smelled - the people who do genuinely think they're going to earn tons of sex points based solely on their usage of cheap chemicals. Hell, I know guys in advertising who apparently think that way.

I don't think the "idiots" take it seriously, I just think they're in denial. Who knows, maybe it just touches some sort of fantastical nerve with them. You're always going to run into people with either a screw loose, who see things that aren't there, or who don't just "get it". I've tried to explain the difference between a "good" ad and a "bad" one to non-creatives all the time and rarely to they ever "get it".

I still maintain that no one with more than a few brain cells would take that seriously. I think at certain points the ladies are just rubbing up against things like metal and shoes!:eek:

[howyadoin]

I don't think the "idiots" take it seriously, I just think they're in denial. Who knows, maybe it just touches some sort of fantastical nerve with them. You're always going to run into people with either a screw loose, who see things that aren't there, or who don't just "get it". I've tried to explain the difference between a "good" ad and a "bad" one to non-creatives all the time and rarely to they ever "get it".This is a bit of a tangent, but what's funny about that last part is how many people in advertising (i.e., 90% of non-creatives) want to be creatives.

[anthony!]

This is a bit of a tangent, but what's funny about that last part is how many people in advertising (i.e., 90% of non-creatives) want to be creatives.

I think its because they think the job is easy and just no big deal. A lot of work and a lot of thought goes into thinking up ads. Most of them are good until "non-creatives" with creative ambitions get a hold of them and change them. The account people. The lawyers. The client. The marketers. The focus groups.... thats how we end up with dumb ads and truly "shallow" culture.

[howyadoin]

I think its because they think the job is easy and just no big deal. A lot of work and a lot of thought goes into thinking up ads. Most of them are good until "non-creatives" with creative ambitions get a hold of them and change them. The account people. The lawyers. The client. The marketers. The focus groups.... thats how we end up with dumb ads and truly "shallow" culture.Amen to that.

Especially the account people. "But I've got a marketing degree from a community college! So what if I've only been here two months and used to be the receptionist?"



At the same time, of course, a lot of the agencies I've freelanced at seem to have deliberately created situations where creatives have little or no responsibility, which seems to attract some incredibly flaky, childish people. There are days when I wonder how anything gets done at all in this industry.

[Dan Apodaca]

I still maintain that no one with more than a few brain cells would take that seriously. I think at certain points the ladies are just rubbing up against things like metal and shoes!:eek:

That's why people hate the commercials so much. There are guys who totally buy into it. They don't get the joke. The come in and stink up a place because they really do think it will get them laid that easily.

[jaguarshark]

No, but the ad companies think you do.
Sooooo... does anyone else want a snack wrap?

[Sabrina_Fried]

Few thoughts:

Snack wraps: Didn't even know McD's was doing these. Is this a strictly USA or UK thing? What's in them?

Kool-Aid man: Just a cynical though, but if you were a kid that was all hypered up on Kool-aid, which is about 99% sugar and 1% god knows what else, and you are encouraged to drink TONS of the stuff, um, I could see you having a sugar induced hallucination to the point where you would believe that your Kool-aid pitcher is flying through space and talking to you. Hell, you should hear what the beer pitchers say to me after a few good hours at the pub with some friends! :)

AXE: As a female, let me say that I have smelled farts more pleasant than AXE. It is most certainly NOT a turn on. It also makes me very glad for the "no scents" policies in place at both the apartment building where I live and the office where I work. (a reasonable amount of perfume or deodarent, etc is fine...but don't overdo it because there are people in the building with chemical sensitivies of a type that it could cause them REAL SERIOUS HARM if you do) Because there ARE people at both places who actually take those commercials seriously and would coat themselves in entire bottles of the stuff each day if they thought it would get them laid.

Commercials and Shallowness: It's pretty hard to be deep in the 30 seconds or less that the average commercial is. Especially not when in those 30 seconds you have to provide the viewer with reasons to feel uncomfortable with themselves and enough information on the product so that they will believe it can improve their lives, as well as nuts and bolts, like where to buy it (sometimes). I don't think the problem is commercials so much as people who mimic what they see in the commercials and form their personalities around that mimicry. The same goes for any TV shows, music videos, video games, movies etc.

Sabrina

[StarsAndGarters]

Snack wraps: Didn't even know McD's was doing these. Is this a strictly USA or UK thing? What's in them?I work at McDonald's and think Snack Wraps are the silliest product. You pay $1.29 and get some generic ranch sauce, some shredded lettuce, exactly the same as you get on a Big Mac or a McChicken, some shredded cheddar-jack cheese, which I'll admit is new for McDonald's, and a chicken strip (I won't call them Chicken Selects, there's nothing selective about our chicken), wrapped in a tortilla. This isn't quality food, or a lot of food. It certainly isn't sexy.

[phoenixrising]

I work at McDonald's and think Snack Wraps are the silliest product. You pay $1.29 and get some generic ranch sauce, some shredded lettuce, exactly the same as you get on a Big Mac or a McChicken, some shredded cheddar-jack cheese, which I'll admit is new for McDonald's, and a chicken strip (I won't call them Chicken Selects, there's nothing selective about our chicken), wrapped in a tortilla. This isn't quality food, or a lot of food. It certainly isn't sexy.

But...but....its a wrap! Advertising has told me that skinny blonde girls that are beloved by men all eat wraps! You're wrecking my world view, Gus!

[Gumbo Maximillian]

I've seen that commercial, and I find it funny that many of you feel that she turned him down based on looks alone.....talk about shallow....

I also find it funny that many of you identify with the geek who catches air kisses and stores them in his pocket....


Not really; from the beginning we've mentioned not just appearance but intelligence, social class, age, personality and looks.

And come on; this is a comic board, how surprising is it that we identify with the geek?

And the catching the kiss thing; sure he caught it but she "sent" it, thats kind of lame.

See what I"m saying, she's just barely more of a catch then the geek.

[howyadoin]

Advertising has told me that skinny blonde girls that are beloved by men all eat wraps!Probably just because they're phallic objects.

[Smoogis]

My brother has a frighteningly large collection of Axe stuff. It's...very sad.

[howyadoin]

My brother has a frighteningly large collection of Axe stuff. It's...very sad.Does he spray on entire bottles at one time?

[StarsAndGarters]

But...but....its a wrap! Advertising has told me that skinny blonde girls that are beloved by men all eat wraps! You're wrecking my world view, Gus!By all means don't let me disabuse you of the notion. :p They sure do! I just think the ones that do are nuts.



On the other topic, I will admit that I use Axe deodorant. I don't cake it on though, and I only started using it because I was bored with Speed Stick and the commercials made me laugh because of how ridiculous they are. Most importantly, they have a few scents that I can live with smelling like.

Would I change it up if something better that Kristen and I both liked came along? In a heartbeat.

[Michael P]

And I'd say the AXE ads are completely stupid and work on the tired premise that using a certain product will bring women to a guy like lightning. I don't care how much of that cheapass AXE crap a guy sprays on himself, no woman is going to run after you from smelling it - especially since it smells pretty lame anyway. I mean, AXE isn't genuine, honest or intelligent with their commercials, and it's not even funny in an absurd way.
I have a theory that AXE is just Brut with a new name.

[Michael P]

No. The Kool-Aid Man is ridiculous in the "bad" way because he's actually taken seriously in his own "world". The kids in those ads not only accept his presence, but pretty much celebrate it- sucking the absurdity right out of the context. They're as hyperbolic as he is. In fact, they're a bunch of hyperboles running around with a metaphor and its just a big corporate cluster fuck mess of an idea. But those were the old days...hell, those kinds of ads still get on air on occasion.

Jesus, man, you are like the Brad Meltzer of commercials.

[Grazzt]

Jesus, man, you are like the Brad Meltzer of commercials.

There really should be an Infinite Crisis of commercials. Start it out with the Kool Aid man getting shot by the Burger King.

[Typo Lad]

I don't know what makes me want to eat meat more than the Macho Man!

This the dirtiest thing you've ever posted.

[K'Nort]

On the other topic, I will admit that I use Axe deodorant. I don't cake it on though, and I only started using it because I was bored with Speed Stick and the commercials made me laugh because of how ridiculous they are. Most importantly, they have a few scents that I can live with smelling like.

And it's really not as bad as I assumed it would be. Definitely quantity makes a difference.

[Jack Zodiac]

Probably just because they're phallic objects.

Yep. S'why I always get mine with extra Ranch.

[Jack Zodiac]

There really should be an Infinite Crisis of commercials. Start it out with the Kool Aid man getting shot by the Burger King.

So... a sequel to "The Ultimate Showdown of Ultimate Destiny?" :p

[howyadoin]

Yep. S'why I always get mine with extra Ranch.Does it squirt out the end as you're eating?

[anthony!]

Jesus, man, you are like the Brad Meltzer of commercials.


What can I say.... I have high standards.

[Haunt]

Television isn't the problem, it's advertisers. Tivo should come with some program that replaces the shitty commercials of today with the hilarious commercials of yesteryear. I want to be reminded of the awesomeness of Kool-Aid flavored drink mix. I want to watch the 7UP dot dancing around some giant bubbles. I want to be reminded to avoid The Noid! I don't wanna' see some jackass cover himself in cheap spray on deodorant until the point of choking and then allude to how many MILFs and foreign exchange students he fucks. I don't wanna' have to listen to another goddamn GAP commercial jingle.


but then what will you talk about when you hang out with friends? plus, laughter is good for your health. Skittles commercials (especially that one with the trick-beard) make me laugh. ipso factor...

[Pinball]

1. McDonald's sucks at being hip.
2. "Somebody missed snack time." What the hell does that mean?
3. I've tried the Snack Wrap. I'll stick with KFC's.

[Pól Rua]

Wow.
You think advertising is shallow?
Try sitting through a 'romantic comedy' sometime.

[Jack Zodiac]

Y'know what pisses me off even more than those lame ass fucking McDonalds commercials? Those even lamer fucking Taco Bell commercials? Fourth meal? Check out the square? Bring back the chihuahua.

[Charles RB]

Try sitting through a 'romantic comedy' sometime.

I have, and by god did I wish Simon Pegg and a horde of zombies would show up halfway through.

[K'Nort]

Wow.
You think advertising is shallow?
Try sitting through a 'romantic comedy' sometime.

People keep trying to tell me that 'Love, Actually' was a great movie and I keep trying to kill them.

There's a radio ad for snack wraps that keeps waking me up and it literally makes no sense at all. I'm thinking there must be a tv version with a visual gag and they're assuming their radio audience has seen it. Something about a guy getting demoted and the desk is too big.

[Pól Rua]

I have, and by god did I wish Simon Pegg and a horde of zombies would show up halfway through.

Simon Pegg and Zombies make everything better.
Now if Garth Ennis would just include some zombies in The Boys, it might be readable.